I went in expecting something like Mysterious Lotus Casebook and it does have the same feel to it. However, this one actually has more depth. There are so many characters, I had to go the cast list and keep checking who was who until I was sure that I could recognize them.

The entry of the snake was amazing & he was in the spotlight that he seemed to like. Loved the fight scenes, the sword forest reminded me of the keys flying in Harry Potter. Baili Dong Jun's character seems so silly, kinda like Fang Duo Bing from Lotus Casebook. I am looking forward to episodes where Dong Jun starts training.

I wonder when next we are going to see Sikong Chang Feng. I liked him the best so far and hope that he is cured.

It was fun to watch Dong Jun's interaction with his family. He is such a brat to treat his father that way, but I see that there are no grudges between them. He is loved by all of them. They have fun together. His mother and uncle are also devoted to him. I'm afraid that the Dong Jun's father, grandfather, and master might die right at any given moment with the way things are going. Here's to hoping none of them die, but we know a few of them will die. Well the master's gone. Dong Jun seems like a bratty yet pretty resilient guy. I wish they would release more than 2 episodes daily. I know what's coming but Ye Ding Zhi is such a dependable person and cherishes Dong Jun so much. I don't want to see it all go awry! And at the same time, I want to know more about them.

They meet, they separate. I initially thought that they'll grow together but their paths aways diverge. What I like about Dashing Youth is that the characters are powerful and it is shown, their skills aren't nerfed the way they were in The Blood of Youth, when even the most powerful sword techniques always lost. It was good to see, Li Hong Yi as the founder. Hope we see more of him. Baili Dong Jun is kind of immature to accept Yue Yao's real identity right now. I remember Sword and fairy 4, Yun Tian He was so damn understanding and mature about everything Ling Sha did.

I feel sad for Ding Zi and Wen Ju, but it doesn't seem like the lot of them are that invested in their romances, they are much more focused on the fights and brotherhood. I get the alliance between Shadow sect and future emperor is important, but Wen Jun is just going to be a secondary consort who'll be neglected in the palace in the future. It is not even the polygamy that bothers me, Wen Jun has no choice but to marry him. She has not even the tiniest bit of feelings for her fiancé. The worst part of political marriages is that they exit! I mean do we as so called intellectual species lack even that bit of creativity or will to come up with a solution that doesn't hinge on forcing a woman or man to marry someone that would probably end up mistreating them? Nope, because we prefer it easy. I feel so disappointed in Prince Langya. Like Baili, I'm team Ye Ding Zi for this round. They did him wrong time and again, first his family now what could have been his chance at a decent family life. All for the so called greater good.

I always wondered how Xiao Yu / Prince Chi came into existence, especially with the Wenjun's if not dislike then disinterest in Xiao Ruo Jin. She has already been forced into a marriage so it wasn't difficult to follow that thread and consider that the same happened during their consummation. To this day, a lot of Asian families still force women into marriage disregarding how they will be treated afterwards. They are often married to men who think of them as property to used. So, Ruo Jin drugging her was not surprising. I'm surprised that people think it is out of character for him. Unless the writer of the novel comes out and says that's not what happened and they consummation was willingly done there is no point in defending. Ruo Jin wasn't an upstanding man in The Blood of Youth, he isn't one here either. He is going to be sacrificing his brother in future and with what happening to Wenjun, I am done. He will always be a coward in my books.

Okay, the funniest part of the drama is when they all take their sweet time showing off their moves just expecting the other party to wait and watch them build those moves. I enjoy the visuals but I'm surprised no one kills each other while that happens.

Thanks to Blood of Youth, I already knew how this one was going to end. So, no surprises there. Sometimes even in fiction the bad trumps the good. Have never liked Ruo Jin, have no idea how anyone looks at him with respect. He couldn't even get that bloody kingdom on his own, if not for Ruo Feng literally doing everything for him, while the sicko decides to invest in a fantasy that all his consorts are with him because they had a choice.

Poor Ye Ding Zhi, he was sacrificed for the peace of Beili by the righteous, long before he even decided to become a demon.